Bring Me Back To Life
by Hardyzschic
Summary: Set in season one, this song fic details Angel's thoughts during his fight with Faith in the alleyway.


_**Bring Me Back to Life**_

Story by: Hardyzschic

Lyrics by: Evanescence

The rain fell like sheets of ice that soaked them both to the bone. She lashed out at him with a right cross which he ducked and then backed away a bit. He knew she wasn't really trying to hurt him. She just wanted to make someone feel as bad as she did inside. She just wanted to inflict some small portion of the pain that she was feeling. She struck out with a high kick that he easily batted away which increased her anger and her intensity. He barely sidestepped her lunging at him, causing her to crash into the wall of one of the buildings bordering the alley He knew that emotion was clouding her senses and could see her spiraling down into a darkness he knew she had never experienced, a darkness that was all to familiar to him. He knew that if she was at the top of her game, this fight would be much more of a challenge.

How can you see into my eyes like open doors  
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb  
Without a soul  
My spirit sleeping somewhere cold  
Until you find it there and lead it....back home

She screamed and lunged at him again. He started to put up a hand to catch her oncoming fist, but even his vampire quick reflexes were no match for the inner rage of a slayer. She connected with the fist to his jaw sending him stumbling. She started at him again with another right hand which he blocked this time, defensively backhanding her, with just enough force to back her away from him and give him time to collect his thoughts for a second. He was beginning to wonder how long this would last. How long till she finally broke down and admitted she needed help. He knew her well enough to know that asking for help, if she ever did would be something that would not come easy to her at all.

(Wake me up)  
Wake me up inside  
(I can't wake up)  
Wake me up inside  
(Save me)  
Call my name and save me from the dark  
(Wake me up)  
Bid my blood to run  
(I can't wake up)  
Before I come undone  
(Save me)  
Save me from the nothing I've become

He heard the window open upstairs and instinctively knew that Wesley must have somehow freed himself. He started to shout out a warning for him to stay where he was, but quickly realized it would do no good, so he just stood there blocking her onslaught the best that he could, only striking back when absolutely necessary. He just hoped Wesley didn't come down and get in the way, that would be the last thing that he needed, because from the look in her eyes he could tell that this was no where near close to being over. Seeing her in such pain without another outlet except for violence sent his mind traveling back through the years, to the time right after his curse. He remembered the pain, agonizing pain and guilt that accompanied the many flashbacks of grizzly deaths that he had dealt out to family members as well as total strangers. His first instinct had been to lean towards violence but fortunately for him cooler heads had prevailed and he had secluded himself from humanity, avoiding temptation and depending on the rats and other vermin in the sewers as his only source of nourishment. It wasn't nourishment that she sought however, it was a form of salvation, redemption even, and it struck him as deeply ironic that she came to him seeking the one thing that he himself had been searching for.

Now that I know what I'm without  
You can't just leave me  
Breathe into me and make me real  
Bring me to life

(Wake me up)  
Wake me up inside  
(I can't wake up)  
Wake me up inside  
(Save me)  
Call my name and save me from the dark  
(Wake me up)  
Bid my blood to run  
(I can't wake up)  
Before I come undone  
(Save me)  
Save me from the nothing I've become  
Bring me to life

(I've been living a lie,there's nothing inside)  
Bring me to life

That's when, with one last agonizingly pain filled scream, she flung her self at him. Following a surprisingly a natural instinct he caught her and enfolded her in his arms in a somewhat awkward huglike embrace. It was then, almost at the same exact moment, Wesley appeared at the end of the alley that the dam of emotions that the slayer had been fighting internally broke. With her fists balled up she pounded on his chest, rocking her body trying to break free of his grip while screaming about being evil and needing to be killed.

Frozen inside without your touch,  
Without your love, darling  
Only you are the life among the dead

(All this time I can't believe I couldn't see)  
(Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me)  
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems  
Got to open my eyes to everything  
(Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul)  
Don't let me die here  
(There must be something more!)  
Bring me to life

The harder she pounded on him, the more he tightened his grip on her, in a feeble attempt to make her feel safe. Finally the fists flew slower and the screams turned into inaudible sobs and together they slid down to sit on the ground that had previously served as the ring for their one sided fight. He cradled her gently against him, trying to soothingly stroke her matted hair. He tried to mumble comforting words, but had a hard time phrasing them because he knew there was truly nothing he could say that could make the situation better. He knew that she had a long, long road ahead of her, but then and there he vowed he would be there for her, and even if he never found it himself, redemption was something he was determined to help her find. Finally he resorted to the only phrase that promised nothing but held a slim bit of comforting hope. As he rocked her slowly, gently stroking her hair "Its ok Faith" was all he could seem to say.

(Wake me up)  
Wake me up inside  
(I can't wake up)  
Wake me up inside  
(Save me)  
Call my name and save me from the dark  
(Wake me up)  
Bid my blood to run  
(I can't wake up)  
Before I come undone  
(Save me)  
Save me from the nothing I've become  
Bring me to life

(I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside!)  
Bring me to life


End file.
